What phone habits indicate increased anxiety? | Psychology of life | Health

A smartphone is a constant companion of a modern person, a lifesaver for all occasions: answering work questions, checking the weather, finding out the latest news, exchanging photos with loved ones, ordering groceries with delivery, paying for utilities, etc. It is also a clear indicator of stress. . Psychologies magazine has collected warning signs noted by various mental specialists. How to determine from telephone habits that something is bothering the owner – in the aif.ru review.

What is “scrolling” and “doomscrolling”?

Scrolling and doomscrolling are the first signs of growing anxiety. Scrolling is an endless scrolling of a social network feed or news agenda. Doomscrolling is a similar action, but the user’s attention is focused exclusively on disturbing news. The desire to constantly monitor what is happening through the smartphone screen is a tool for procrastination, i.e. putting things off until later. Watching the tape distracts you from disturbing thoughts, for example, a conflict with your family. Reading alarming news, for example about a state of emergency in his city, a person tries to find peace, but in fact drives himself into a corner of growing anxiety.

Why is Googling a sign of stress?

In addition to requests for work or searching for answers to a child’s questions, in the browser history you can find many tabs where a person searched for information about what was bothering him. To calm anxiety, the user searches for recommendations on the Internet, studies other people’s experiences in the comments, and asks questions: excessive vigilance and meticulousness are a sign of anxiety.

How does a smartphone help you avoid a meeting or conversation?

“Sorry, they’re writing/calling me, I need to answer,” is a common technique for avoiding communicating with an unpleasant person or answering awkward questions. It is the smartphone, which many stick to in order to pretend that they did not notice a colleague or long-time acquaintance, that helps to avoid communication and distracts attention.

Why might a person check his smartphone screen frequently?

It’s hard not to notice a person who constantly blocks and unblocks his smartphone, checking to see if someone has written, or if there is a missed call or breaking news in his feed. This behavior manifests itself in any situation, even the most uncomfortable: in the gym, during a workout, or at a meeting with a manager. Psychotherapists believe that this is a clear sign of anxiety and restlessness.

How can you determine stress by the speed of response to messages?

If a person tries to respond to all incoming messages, regardless of their urgency, this indicates concern. In addition, such people often cannot separate work and rest time; mixing them can result in burnout.

Is it normal to prefer text and voice messages over calls?

A dislike for calls, especially unplanned ones, is typical of the modern younger generation. They prefer correspondence in instant messengers and exchanging files on social networks: they miss calls or reject them, moving on to correspondence. In general, such behavior is a given in the modern world, but psychologists note that it can also be a sign of anxiety and a desire to isolate oneself from real social interaction.

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